Tuesday, June 20, 2023

SHOULD PUBLISHERS EMBRACE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE?


I feel rather bad for my graphic designer. He used to charge me about Kshs 10k - 12k (USD$ 71.00 - 85.00) for the central image of a book's cover art, and take about a week - two if there were revisions. I now use Artificial Intelligence. It costs me Kshs 0.00 and just a couple of minutes (to key in the "prompts" ie. instructions.)

For now, there's no cause for writers to panic. AI is unlikely to take away THEIR jobs anytime soon. This year, the US film/and TV industry was brought to its knees - yet again - by a strike organized by Writers' Guild of America. Virtually all late-night talk shows temporarily ceased production. The 76th Tony Awards could not be televised. AI can't write original shows, or jokes. It can't actually write literature, either, but it can re-write stuff and imitate styles with remarkable speed and accuracy. It has no soul; no emotions, sense of humour, no storytelling gift.

It can't really replace visual artists entirely, especially for extended projects like comic books or story boards. But for one-off pieces like portraits, posters, book/album covers, 'photos', 'paintings', illustrations etc, it's magical. It can take your breath away!

Frankfurter Buchmesse and Gould Finch carried out research on the nexus between publishing and AI and e-published the results in a paper titled “The Future Impact of Artificial Intelligence on The Publishing Industry” (https://www.stateofdigitalpublishing.com/digital-platform-tools/ai-in-publishing-industry/). The key findings were as follows:

"Artificial Intelligence is not going to replace writers, but it is able to strengthen core-business. While there is technology available to mimic tone and craft plausible 
prose, the narrative arc and a best-seller’s make-up have yet to be reduced to an algorithm. The technology available offers publishers access to an array of new mediums and processes to strengthen areas such marketing and analytics, as well as production and administration.

Investing in Artificial Intelligence doesn’t mean fewer jobs for humans. On the contrary, businesses currently implementing AI, including The Washington Post and Axel Springer as well as smaller publishing houses, have witnessed positive effects on readership statistics and sales, but also better job stability for journalists and writers.

Minimal investments can still bring in monetary benefits."

The conclusion of the research is that:

"AI and its future development offer promising opportunities for the publishing industry. Publishing is a people’s business and our study shows that the technology will not replace human interactions within the industry but offer various improvements in the value chain. Writers will discover new tools with which to expresstheir creativity, marketing creatives will discover new tools to craft personalized campaigns for a wider audience, and customers will be thrilled by new experiences."

I think my AI-aided book covers (an addiction I am now spreading to my writer friends like a common cold) is adequate proof the the above-mentioned paper's conclusion.

Above: Book covers designed with the help of Artificial Intelligence.

Thursday, April 27, 2023

THE ALEXANDER NDERITU PRIZE FOR WORLD LITERATURE

As announced on World Book & Copyright Day 2023, the newest star in the galaxy of literary awards is the Alexander Nderitu Prize For World Literature.

ABOUT 
The Prize will be awarded once per year for a single work of literary merit in the genres that the Founder writes in, ie:

- Novels
- Short stories
- Poetry
- Stage Plays

Entries may come from any part of the world and may have originally been published in any language. It is the Prize’s mission ‘to launch new literary stars’. For this reason, the Prize will include a one-year promotional package for the winner.

JUDGING
The Longlists, Shortlists and eventual Winners will be decided by a panel of Judges chaired by the Founder. The Judges may be of any nationality. The entries will be judged equally, regardless of the nominees' nationality, age, race, gender, religion, or other non-literary factors.

FOUNDER
Alexander Nderitu is an award-winning writer and critic. Some of his works have been translated into Arabic, Japanese, Chinese, Kiswahili, French, Swedish, Dholuo, Gikũyũ, and Czech.
PARTNERSHIP
The Prize will begin handing out awards in 2024. In the meantime, the Prize welcomes partners from all over the globe. Areas of partnership may include sponsorship, cross-promotion, judging, publishing, media, and technology. Partners may be individuals, companies, NGOs, academic institutions, government departments, lit mags, or organizers of literary events such as book fairs and literary festivals.

                                ###

For more information, email: admin(at)alexandernderitu.com

                                   

Thursday, February 23, 2023

An Office-based Stage Play by Alexander Nderitu

TITLE: "YUPPIES!"

AUTHOR (S): ALEXANDER NDERITU
CATEGORY: STAGE PLAY (COMEDY)
FORMAT(S): PAPERBACK AND AMAZON KINDLE
PRICE: USD$ 12.00 (PRINT), USD$ 8.00 (KINDLE)
 
 
DESCRIPTION 
 
In the world of finance and investments, Chris – a thirtyish Kenyan businessman - is ‘a giant among insects’. But when it comes to matters of the heart, he’s a dunderhead. The surprise engagement of two of his employees precipitates an encounter with his ‘divalicious’ ex-wife, Yolanda, and sets the stage for scenes that are by turns comic and tender!
 
Written by a guy who was born on William Shakespeare’s birthday, the smart money is on this play becoming a hit!
 
'Popularly known as Kenya's Shakespeare, Alexander is arguably Kenya's most prolific e-poet, playwright and novelist. Surprisingly, he shares the April 23rd birthday - also World Book and Copyright Day - with the legendary English writer William Shakespeare.' - Business Daily, 'Top 40 Under 40 Men' edition (2017)
 
PRODUCT DETAILS
 
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BTTSFM9K
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Alex N. Nderitu; 1st edition (February 2, 2023)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 2, 2023
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 120 pages

Alexander Nderitu's New Comic Play

NEW BOOK ALERT!
 
BOOK 2/10 FOR 2023
 
TITLE: "WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?"
AUTHOR (S): ALEXANDER NDERITU
CATEGORY: STAGE PLAY (COMEDY)
FORMAT(S): PAPERBACK AND AMAZON KINDLE
AVAILABILITY: WORLDWIDE VIA AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BW384MCB
PRICE: USD$ 10.00 (PRINT), USD$ 9.99 (KINDLE)
 
 

 
DESCRIPTION 
 
Meet Jack Lloyd, a British-born film director teetering on the brink of a personal crisis. His flashy wife is dating a younger man, his teenage daughter has puberty issues, and his latter films are as unpopular as second-hand underwear. At all events, Lloyd’s life is ‘flying apart at the seams’.
 
But this is a comedy and we're in Tinseltown so put on your happy face and prepare to meet Lloyd’s wild bunch of workmates as well: philandering French film producer Jean-Pierre Paquito, heart-throb Ronnie Hunk, weepy Production Assistant Anne, and a cast of cranky actors.
 
Written in the best tradition of humourist S. J. Perelman, 'What’s Wrong With This Picture?' shows why there is no business like show business.
 
PRODUCT DETAILS
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BW384MCB
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Independently published (February 21, 2023)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 140 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8378246953